


Prompted To Speak

by Syntax



Category: DragonFable
Genre: Alternate Universe - Actors, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Awkward First Times, Dialogue-Only, Fluff, Humor, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Sex, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-16
Updated: 2017-07-04
Packaged: 2018-05-01 23:43:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 26
Words: 12,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5225711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Syntax/pseuds/Syntax
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of prompt drabbles I've written on tumblr. Updates sporadically. Drop me a line if you want to see a particular story played out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Just leave me ALONE

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: (non trash) Aspar/Tomix for "Just leave me ALONE." :^0

The moment Aspar heard the door of their small apartment slam shut, he knew something was wrong. When he saw his young charge stomp right past him with his head and shoulders covered in stilling neon paint, he knew  _exactly_  what was wrong, but not exactly the degree of care he'd need to fix it. So he watched the young man stomp his way to his room and slam that door shut too, without even saying a word. It was when Aspar heard muffled screaming start up that he marked a place in his book and headed to the kitchen to make some tea.

Most would call him crazy for partnering himself with the campus pariah, but Aspar would wholeheartedly disagree. The kid was clearly hurting, and someone needed to make sure he didn't end up turning to unhealthy methods to alleviate that pain. Plus it gave him an excuse to use up his stores of passionflower tea.

He let the herbs steep and then carefully removed the packets to fill their place with honey, milk, and sugarcubes. No sense just making it by the cup, from what he was hearing (the screams had given way to frustrated swearing at this point) his charge would probably be needing the whole pot. From there it was just a quick few yards to the door. He steadied the teapot and cups in the crook of his arms, and gently rapped on the door.

" _Go away._ " Came the muffled reply.

"Come on Tomix, you and I both know that you don't really mean that." He chided into the door.

" _Just leave me alone!_ "

He tsk'ed, and smiled. "Well, alright then," Aspar loudly announced into the door, "I see I have no choice but to come on in anyway." He quickly phased his arm through the door and simultaneously unlocked and opened it from the inside. Normally he would have teleported in, but that might cause him to drop his tea.

He quietly ignored Tomix's indignant screeches of  _"Get out!"_ and set the tea on his charge's work desk, pouring out a cup at his leisure.

"So," he said, turning and pressing a finger to Tomix's lips, startling him enough to shut him up for a moment, "why don't you tell me what happened."

Tomix stared at him a bit, then turned away and grumbled something.

Aspar sighed. "Tomix, I'm sorry but could you say that again, louder please?"

"I was walking down the hall and these guys ambushed me!" He repeated. He exhaled loudly, and flumped himself down on the bed, past the point of caring about the paint he was getting all over the comforter.

Ah, well that would explain the paint. Aspar didn't even try to hide his frown, and offered the cup of tea to Tomix, who readily accepted it. Sad as it was to say, they'd gone through situations similar to this enough times for his charge to know that refusing the tea wouldn't do him any good.

"And, I take it you don't know these boys who jumped you?" Aspar said quietly.

Tomix shook his head and held out his now empty teacup, which Aspar quickly refilled.

"Did you get a good look at them? Like enough to recognize them if you saw them in the halls again?"

He shook his head again and Aspar sighed.

"…..Then those boys are probably gonna get off scott free then."

Tomix looked up from his tea, and nodded. "Yeah…"

"Well, maybe not," Aspar continued," I could talk to some of the other spirits, see if any of them were partnered. Maybe we could get some retribution going or something."

He could see Tomix mull it over for a bit, but ultimately he shook his head again. "Nah," he said, "then I'd probably just get in more trouble later. Look, can we just, not talk about this anymore?"

He smiled, slowly, softly, and nodded his head.

"So, what do you want to talk about then? Anything good happen today?"


	2. Don't trust me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "Don't trust me" sepulcher/serenity?

He came to her at night.

A giant of a man, sour-faced and grim, always wrapped in a long brown coat with hair the color of dried blood. Never less than an hour after she closed her doors for the night, he came to her every Sunday, and took a seat at the empty bar. He never asked more of her than her company, and she was eager to oblige him, for what he gave to her in return was worth more than that.

He gave her  _memories_.

She waited for him impatiently that night, fidgeting and cleaning things that were quite clean already. Her heart skipped a beat as the telltale click of the sidedoor unlocking reached her ears and she rushed excitedly to greet him. She straightened her apron as he walked through the door, and he nodded a greeting before heading to his customary seat at the bar.

"So where were we?" He asked, leaning back against the counter.

"I'd just moved to Swordhaven, I think."

He nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face, and beckoned her to come closer. His eyes followed her as she walked over to the barstool next to him and situated herself on it. He looked over her, up and down, and she felt her smile falter.

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

"…You have no way of knowing if the memories I'm giving you actually happened, and yet you continue to entrust your mind to me." He said, his expression darkening. "To be honest, the sheer amount of faith you have in me is frightening."

She drew back involuntarily, and her smile gave way to a concerned frown.

"What brought this on?"

He shrugged. "Just rethinking the current situation. You have to have noticed by now that I'm kind of a shady guy." He chuckled a bit at the jab, but there was no humor in it.

She shook her head. "I don't care. You haven't done anything yet to make me mistrust you, so I'm going to keep giving you the benefit of the doubt."

He narrowed his eyes as she spoke, but didn't reply right away.

"Who's to say I haven't? You give me your mind to play with every week and believe me when I say that it's  _very_  easy to remodel things to make them more palatable. Covering my tracks would be easier still."

"Did something happen?" She snapped. "Did you have a bad week or something and you're dealing with it by being creepy? Tell me what you really want to say."

"I'm saying 'don't trust me so readily when you don't know a damn thing about me'."

She groaned and rubbed her temples with her hand.

"Look, can I just go to Swordhaven already? It's been a long day."

He opened his mouth so say something, but then decided against it, and closed his eyes. He drew her face closer to his, and when his eyes opened white and yellow had been replaced by black and red, and she was far, far away from a little inn in Falconreach.


	3. Oh fuck, oh FUCK

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "Oh fuck, oh FUCK." for that thing you mentioned a while ago with sepulchure mentoring ash

The wall had been unkind to Ash the first time he'd been thrown into it, and nothing had changed on the seventeenth.

Everything in him ached. There were minor cuts all over his arms, as well as some nasty bruises forming on his abdomen, and while he wasn't sure he'd taken any damage there, he couldn't feel the fingers on his left hand any more.

"Get up."

He strained to lift his head and look at the cause of all his current suffering. His teacher, a dour giant of a man in a large brown travelers' coat that Ash had never seen him remove, no matter how hot it was. The man had introduced himself as Bastion, but Ash was certain that was not his real name. As it stood, the man agreed to train him in all things knightly, "until he got bored". Ash had thought it to be a pretty good arrangement until he found out just how harsh a teacher Bastion was.

They were currently on the combat section of the curriculum. Today's lesson was fighting opponents much, much stronger than you are.

Unarmed.

Ash propped himself up on his elbows as he tried to lift his legs from underneath him. It didn't work and his arms gave out from underneath him.

He could hear his mentor making a "hmm"ing noise over the sounds of his own labored breathing, but just barely. There was movement to his right, but he couldn't see, there was so much pain he couldn't even keep his eyes open.

He could feel something pressing against his stomach, eliciting a wince and a labored groan of pain, before two rough hands impatiently flipped him over.

"!"

A sharp pain in his back robbed him of the cry of pain in his throat, but that was a small matter. Those same hands were pressing down on his bruises, aggravating the already sore muscles and bringing with them stabs of dull pain and haze.

"…Oh fuck."

He was dimly aware of one of the hands moving from his stomach to his shoulders, violently shaking it in an attempt to rouse him.

"Oh fuck, Kid! Wake up, we need to get you to a medic!"

He cracked an eye open and was able to mouth a "what?" before the movement proved too much and his head fell back down again.

Then blackness.

…..

He awoke in a cheap bed surrounded by white walls, Bastion leaning irritatedly against the one nearest to him.

His throat was dry, and his voice was cracked, but he managed to croak out a "What happened?"

Bastion didn't seem surprised to see him awake, and shifted his arms like a bird ruffling their feathers. He didn't look at Ash when he spoke.

"You were bleeding internally. Too many hits to the wall. I wasn't thinking."

_I wasn't thinking._ That was probably as good an apology as he would ever get from his teacher. The unspoken  _it won't happen again_ was reassuring.

"…So I passed out then?"

"Yeah."

"…Did the doctor say how long it would be before I can leave?"

"Not long. The bleeding was mostly in your muscles. A few weeks at most."

"Oh."

"Oh?"

"So I guess this is goodbye then? I mean lying in a hospital bed is pretty boring."

A smile, an honest to god smile found its way to Bastion's face.

"Kid, did you really think you could get rid of me so easily? Nah, I'm not leaving. Not on your life."


	4. Look at me - just breathe, okay?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Riadne/Tomix for "Look at me - just breathe, okay?"

"You're absolutely sure about this?"

"Tomix, if I wasn't sure, I'd still have my clothes on."

"Ah..Right."

"So I'm guessing you haven't done this before?"

"Ah, not with a girl, no."

"What! Handsome guy like you? You're joking. You're seriously telling me you've never had sex before?"

"No, I  _have_ , just, not with a girl before…"

"Oh, look at you, you're blushing. Who was it, was it Izaac? You two looked _really_  close."

"…A few times, yeah. Uh, can we  _not_  talk about that? Maybe?"

"Oh, alright. Hold on just a minute,  _oh take off your pants already, will you?_ "

"What? Oh, sure, I, just, distracted a little, I—wow."

"Feast your eyes, there is more where that came from."

…

"Tomix I didn't mean that literally. Look at me, just breathe, okay? They're just boobs."

"Right. So, wait, how did you want to do this?"

"Oh, just, come here!"

"!"


	5. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Will you do Hero/Tomix for "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." ;_;

When she stepped out of the portal, she was fully expecting to see Tomix fiddling with the gate like he always was. When he wasn't there, she paid it no mind. He was probably sleeping, or even better taking a break. Honestly, sometimes she thought that Tomix was going to run himself into the ground worrying about that thing. It'd do him some good to take a little down time.

Without anything else to do, she ambled over to the Equilibrium Gate, finally taking in the sights of the ruined city of Ravenloss. With all the drama with these keys going on, she'd never really stopped to take a look at the underground city. While she wasn't an architect or archaeologist, she'd been questing through enough ruins to know that this place must have been beautiful in its heyday.

Kinda sad to see what it'd turned into.

She peered up at the gate, eyeing the key placed in the first lock. Their trip through Dusk Alley had been—interesting, but fun. Maybe when all this was over she could take Tomix to Riverine Keep or something. That would be awesome!

So without anything better to do, she began to wander around the ruins of the old city. Occasionally there'd be an altercation with the odd monster or chaosweaver, but nothing too bad. It was kind of relaxing. Nothing was looming over her head that needed to be worried about (well, aside from Sepulchure and the quest for the orbs), and she could just venture at her leisure.

It was at that point that she slipped in something on the pavement and fell right on her face. Ow.

She turned over to glare at whatever it was that had caused her impromptu pratfall, but her eyes widened and froze when she saw what color it was.

Red.

Dark red, thick and coppery, and spread out over a two-foot pothole making a very slick but shallow puddle with splatters trailing to the side, leading to rough smears of disturbing length.

For a moment her mind stopped and she started trying to rationalize things— _it could be monster blood, it could be chaosweavers, or some other sort of monster_ , but no, her brain reminded her, their blood wasn't that color.

There was an actual human down here, and they were hurt,  _badly,_ and either they'd been dragged somewhere or had stumbled away to find cover. She didn't think. She ran.

And prayed that who she found wasn't who she'd come to see.

The trail led to an alley, and another large pool, but no body as far as she could see.

She tore the place apart, moving bags and boulders and trashcans in hope for something, anything, hidden parts of the trail that she might have missed or—

Or a body.

Eventually she collapsed in that alley, tears spurred from worry running down her face and dry heaves wracking her frame. Some logical part of her brain told her there was probably nothing she could do, but she could have come here earlier, it wasn't like she'd been doing anything important earlier in the day, she could've—

"What are you doing in here?"

Her heart stopped.

….

"Hey—! What is wrong with you, get off me!"

Tomix, who up until that point had been dead to the world on the only decent mattress in the entire city, really had no idea what to expect when the travelling hero he'd gotten the Cloud Key with buried her face in his shirt, bawling her eyes out.

Eventually he managed to catch the words "blood", "fresh", "you", and "missing", and was able to piece together what went on.

"Hey, calm down, calm down, I'm alright, okay? There's nothing to worry about." He said.

"But—but there was _blood_  and you were _gone_ , and, and—" Whatever intelligent response that might have been made was quickly drowned by more blubbering and Tomix groaned in annoyance.

"Look, it's fine now, alright? I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere. So stop crying."

They failed to do so, and he groaned again.

That was his favorite shirt, too.


	6. Hey, have you seen the…? Oh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "Hey, have you seen the…? Oh." Vaalhero ;)

Riadne drummed lightly, but insistently on the door to the Hero's cabin. She'd been meaning to talk to them all day, but they continued to elude her. Finally though she'd decided to wait until the ship's designated "night time" to try and catch them in their room. Her hand froze at the memory of what happened the  _last_  time she'd entered someone else's cabin, but quickly found itself rapping the frame once more, a little quicker this time. She wouldn't be stumbling across something like  _that_  again, oh no.

Honestly, she knew the Hero wasn't exactly the most conventional or sane of people, but surely they'd have better taste than to go around dalliancing with someone like  _Vaal_.

"Hero?" She called. "Are you in there? I've been meaning to talk to you."

She waited for a response and pressed her ear to the door in hopes of hearing it better.

"Ain't nobody there miss."

She turned to the speaker and found a deckhand shrugging at her. "Ye' just missed 'er though. She was headed down below for somethin'. Ye'll find 'er there."

Riadne smiled and mumbled a quick thank you before heading down below.

—

There was no one in the main room, but she could hear voices coming from one of the storage rooms. She peeked her head in through the door way, certain she'd see some more of the pirates that ran around the ship.

"Hey, have you seen the—? Oh." A hand found its way to her face and she groaned.

"Uh, hi, Riadne."

Well, she'd found the Hero at least.

And Vaal, not even caring in the least that he'd been caught half-dressed with his hands easing her friend out of their own clothes.

God damn it.


	7. I've got one word for you: sing-along!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "I've got one word for you: sing-along!" Tomix and Ask-Aspar. I'm so curious what you'll come up with for this.

He was born Aspar Dellarosa Kheyes, Jr. in a war-torn country. A young man of mostly able body (his eyesight was always a problem but as long as he wore glasses he'd be fine) it was expected of him to join the military and fight for his homeland. So Aspar did. And he did it well.

He became well acquainted with the many ways that one could feel pain, that one could be broken, that one could suffer. He became well acquainted with methods of resisting torture as well as doling it out, and of what he could give to his torturers when speaking was necessary.

His name, his rank, his serial number, and a seventy-two digit code that when translated from numerical script was nothing more than a childish insult.

Aspar kept them circulating in his mind as he watched the proceedings, though he wondered if it would be considered inappropriate to recite them.

He was in a school after all, not a basement.

"I've got one word for you:  _sing-along!_ "

He could see the gathered children groaning, and what respect he had for the public speaker standing on the gymnasium stage shot up quickly. There was an anti-tobacco campaign currently making its way through the area, and the Headmaster had been goaded by some of Parent-Teacher Board members into participating. Hence, the public speaker joyously strumming on a guitar and instructing the underclassmen to join in song like a chipper little maniac with no idea what real life even is.

He had to hand it to the strange man on stage, while his methods were crude, likely because he wasn't really trying to break the children splayed out before him, given a few hours they could probably crack a weak-minded soldier.

From the corner of his eye, Aspar could see something white moving, and snapped out of his daze just enough to see his young partner giving him a look of long-suffering and betrayal as his classmates half-heartedly chanted around him. Aspar shrugged in return and offered a small smile,  _sorry, nothing I can do_ , and Tomix huffed. At least he was here. Most of the other Spirits suddenly had various things that needed to be done the moment a school assembly was announced and the students in years Three and under were told to head to the Gym.

The strumming of the guitar had changed dramatically and Aspar found his attention fully on the man onstage once more. Yes, his methods were crude, but effective.

And if nothing else, the suffering built character.


	8. Co-Stars AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Hero X Aegis [13]

Hero emerged from the confines of their dressing room looking more like a princess than the simple French country girl they were supposed to be portraying. But really, they were playing the titular Belle in the latest adaption of La Belle et La Bete, and ever since Disney got their hands in that story, Belle has been cemented in people's minds as a princess regardless of any actual nobility or lack thereof she might have. So, Hero guessed, in a way they were a princess.

The thought of their role in the movie gave Hero a surge of pride as they descended the dressing room steps and headed across the backlot for the set of today's scene. The producers of this particular adaption had wanted a more diverse movie than was usually found in Hollywood, and had gone out of their way to fill the cast with as many different nationalities, races, and orientations as possible. And while on some level, Hero knew they'd probably gotten the part more for their skin than for their skills, they couldn't bring themself to care too much about that bit. Representation was an important thing, and as an agender hispanic actress in straight-white-male-dominated Hollywood, they'd take what they could get.

They breezed into the building and exchanged greetings with the techs scrambling by, hello, it's nice to see you again, here's hoping we'll get this in one take, and continued on to where their co-star was happily chatting with the gaffer. And, Hero noted with no small amount of amusement, clad head to toe in a motion capture suit. About halfway Hero waved at him, and he waved back with a smile plain on his face.

Aegis Bekele: Greek-Ethiopian, newest BBC darling, jaw-droppingly handsome, and best of all, openly pan. He was playing the Beast of the movie, and had cheerily mentioned to Hero earlier on before they'd even started their first scenes together that that meant they'd be smooching quite a bit before all was said and done. Hero had pecked him on the nose right then and there and he'd grinned so wide you could've gotten him confused for a Cheshire Cat.

"You ready for today's scene?" He asked when they'd finally made it to him.

"Uh huh. What about you? Think you can keep from laughing yourself silly with all those ping pong balls waving around in your face?" Hero countered.

Aegis rolled his eyes and flashed his palm at them, something Hero knew to be a very offensive gesture in his native Greece. They also knew, however, that there really wasn't any offense intended, and so cheekily returned the foreign hand sign with a more American one, earning a snort from the gaffer.

A smile broke out on Aegis's face again, and he pulled Hero into a loose hug. "Come one then," he said, "we got a scene to shoot. Let's get to it."

Hero smiled back at him and headed over to the set to take their place at the beginning of the scene. They cast a final glance at Aegis, still smiling at them, and at the director, lounging in his chair, before steeling themself and waiting for the signal.

"And, ACTION!"


	9. Meeting At A Masquerade Ball AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Daeris/galanoth in a random AU because I can't pick
> 
> "I can't choose between them, that's what your job is."
> 
> ah, i understand. (AGGRESSIVELY SHOVES YOU AT NUMBER 34)

His name was Lord Galton Dell, Viscount Daventry, and he was not happy.

There were times in which he enjoyed the prestige he got as a member of Britain's honored nobility, those times were near-uniformly when he was hunting wild game, not when he was called in for more formal events.

At least he could decline a hunt. To decline an invitation to a party such as this would be a grave insult, so no matter how much he despised being made to go, he went ahead and had a suit prepared and carriage readied, and at the discovery that no, this was not just some casual gathering, it was a damned masquerade ball, made his way to the shopping district and got himself a mask as well.

Honestly, he thought, the food had better damn well be worth it.

He'd emerged from his carriage already in a sour mood, and it had not improved at all upon being dragged by his host to meet and greet with various other men he'd never met, and while yes, networking was an important skill to have in the Peerage, it didn't mean he had to like it. Having to constantly adjust his mask only made things more unbearable.

About three hours in he'd managed to slip away from the various people in attendance and found himself wandering the hallways of his host's estate. His mask had been promptly abandoned (apparently it had been fashioned into a wyrm of some sort, not that he cared) once he determined he was out of sight, and the sheer relief of not having anything pressing against his face granted him the first bit of cheer he'd felt all evening.

Shortly in his wanderings he'd found the game room, which brought him his second bit of cheer. There weren't many trophies here, unlike in his own home, and they all seemed to be of small game such as foxes or rabbits.

"Why on Earth would a man limit himself to hunting foxes when there are tigers that roam these God-given plains?"

"Well I don't know about you, but I'd be hard pressed to find a tiger in my backyard."

He turned to find a maiden staring at him, her cocky expression clashing greatly with her servant's dress.

"Though perhaps," she continued, "if your Lordship would be so kind as to tell me where I might find one, maybe I might look into it. Tigerstripes look lovely on walls, or so I've heard."

He didn't answer her musings, instead eyeing her dress, something she noticed quite quickly.

"Don't let it fool you, my uncle is a Viscount. There had been a bit of a spill after we'd arrived, and our host didn't have a Lady on hand for me to borrow a dress from."

Ah. While her story was a bit far-fetched, it wasn't all together unprobable. He had noticed that his host had been alone when he'd been greeted at the door. Perhaps a bachelor?

"The beasts generally make their home in the forests of the Orient. You'd be more hard pressed not to find one there." He offered. "And the stripes do indeed make lovely tapestries, but I prefer the heads myself."

The maiden before him laughed, strong and cheerful and not at all like a proper lady should. "Well then perhaps I might go along with you on your next tiger hunt, and between the two of us we may both get what we want."

She held a hand out for him, and didn't wait for him to return it to introduce herself. "Lady Deangellis, though if you wish, you may refer to me as Daeris."

"Lord Galton," he said, and it was with his third bit of cheer that he added, "though if you wish, you may refer to me as Galanoth."


	10. Last time I ask you for a favor!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Hero/Artix "Last time I ask you for a favor!"

Black and silver eyes scanned the room, forward and back and forward once more, and still failing to comprehend what it was that they were seeing.

"Artix," Hero began slowly, "why is my cleaning staff currently littering the floor?"

The paladin squirmed under her gaze. To be expected. Despite having the name Hero (something that she'd gotten many comments about, and every single one of them had become old rather quickly), she held the skills and armor of a doomknight. Much the same as their enemy did. And doomknights tended to have a rather—unnerving presence.

"Artix."

He laughed nervously. "Well, you see the thing is that I, uh…"

He squirmed some more, and though she couldn't blame him she was starting to get annoyed by his stalling.

" _Artix._ " She repeated.

"…I kinda thought the skeletons were invading your home."

What.

"Well you have been so kind so far that I thought maybe you did not employ undead."

_What._

"You thought that  _I_ —" she began.

"Hero, I am really sorry—"

"—an  _accomplished_  doomkinght—"

"In my defense you act rather nicely—"

"—a being attuned to the  _Plane of Darkness itself_ —"

"Hero  _please_ —"

" _To not have skeletons in my employment?!_ "

He stared at her, mouth open and hand raised, and simply said, "Yes?"

Hero groaned. Unfortunately, this too was understandable. She'd been coming home to various dark creatures wandering the halls lately, and had asked his assistance in determining where they were coming from. Artix had merely assumed her cleaning staff to be among the intruders.

"This is the last time I ask you for a favor." She said plainly, and he apologized once more.

Now how was she going to clean up her cleaning staff?


	11. Mermaid AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: heropulchure mermaid au

His gills were flared and his fins extended and she could only look at him paralyzed in fear. She was a diver. She had a flimsy suit and an easily breakable oxygen tank. He was a merman. He had sharp claws and sharp teeth made for puncturing scales and sharkskin.

She knew a threat display when she saw one. She'd gotten too close for comfort, hadn't noticed him until he was right upon her. She knew if he decided to attack she was done for.

She knew it was a miracle when he decided to swim away.

—

His gills were flared and his fins extended and she almost had a heart attack when she saw him idly floating in the waters next to her home. How on earth could he have known where she lived? Or had he just come here without knowing?

She gave him a wide berth and made a note not to go into the water again for a few weeks. She could still remember the terror she'd felt when she first saw him. She didn't want to repeat that.

—

His gills were flared and his fins extended and she decided that she'd seen him enough times that she might as well give him a name.

She sat on the rocks that separated the land her house rested on from the sea it neighbored, alternating between watching him and looking up various names on her tablet. She supposed he must have been bored—she could see him twisting himself in various ways. It was fun to look at but seemed a bit painful at times.

Still.

His scales and hair were red, a deep red, even his eyes seemed red on the few occasions she'd dared to get close enough to look. Everything about him was sharp, from his claws, to his features, to the shape of his fins. Like a series of spikes decorating his tail.

She decided a death themed name would suit him best.

She hoped she wasn't tempting fate when she gave it to him.

—

His gills were flared and his fins extended and he hadn't noticed her so she wasn't too worried. There was another merman in the area, his scales a deep black and blue and his hair a pale blond. His fins were a different shape, but she could tell that they were probably still the same species of fish. For the first time she wondered what sort of fish he was, and went inside to fetch her tablet.

When she returned she found him lounging on the rocks next to her home, a few gashes littering his shoulders and a clump of pale blond hair in his hand.

He smiled wide at her when he spotted her. A quick glance at the redness of his teeth told her she didn't want to know.

—

His gills were flared and his fins extended and she looked at him curiously. She'd seen as much as she could and compared it to what she'd found in her googling, and deduced that her merman was a Siamese Fighting Fish.

Or more commonly, a betta.

As in the kind found in pet stores.

She supposed it fit him, he did seem a bit fighty, but that wasn't what intrigued her.

Further down in the article were the mating habits of the betta.

_Males and females flare or puff out their gill covers (opercula) to appear more impressive, either to intimidate other rivals or as an act of courtship_

_In fact, the fish flare their fins and gill covers as a sign of aggression or flirting with other fish.  
_

She looked at him and could almost swear he knew what was on her mind.

He smiled—and swam away.


	12. I'll never unsee that

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Riadne/Izaac "I'll never unsee that."

When you don't have any hands, it's a bit hard to knock.

Tomix sat on the deck of the ship, pounding his head against the railings in a vain effort to erase what was burned into his mind.

While on some level he was happy for the both of them, they got along well together and he'd never seen his friend happier than when he was with Riadne, well, that didn't change the fact that after all these years he still harbored some feelings for her.

And absolutely no one wants to see their best friend's bare ass clenching and unclenching and  _oh lords he was gonna hurl_ …

Aside from the usual bile, he didn't have much in his stomach on account of not needing to eat anymore, but damn if it didn't come up. Tomix hoped the stomach acid wouldn't do anything to the ship's thithril coating.

He wiped his mouth on his sleeve—and Hero came sliding up next to him.

"Rough day?" They asked.

"Yeah….." His voice sounded scratchy, and he coughed a few times to try and clear his throat.

"Riadne told me what happened. Sorry man."

He sighed. "I'll never unsee that."

Hero shrugged, and tugged him off the rail. "We'll see about that. Come on, let's get you drunk."

"What? Why?"

"Well for one, the best way to erase a memory is to kill the brain cells holding it." Hero explained. "And for another…..Dude, you just saw Izaac buck ass naked. Anyone would need a drink after that."


	13. I'm sick of being USELESS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Hero and Ash for "I'm sick of being USELESS."

* * *

When he went to investigate the thumping noise he kept hearing, the last thing Ash expected to find was his idol banging their head against one of the wooden gate posts in the park.

He walked over, curious and more than a little concerned, and called out to them.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

They paused, just long enough for him to think they might answer, but went right back to banging their head in.

He frowned, and slipped his hand in between Hero and the post while they had their head drawn back. His frown only deepened when he took the opportunity to get a better look at Hero and noticed how disheveled they were.

"Hero?" He asked. "Are you feeling alright?"

They just stared at them, eyes half-lidded and red around the edges.

"Hero?"

"…..'Mfine…"

They thumped their head against his hand and Ash winced, not so much because it hurt, but because the plating on his gauntlets would surely leave a bruise on their forehead. He watched them slide down the post with growing concern, their legs crouching and their back curving until he was sure just a single push would send them toppling to the ground.

"You don't look fine." He said.

They didn't answer, and he leaned down to better speak.

"Mind telling me what's wrong?"

They looked at him again, and Ash thought he might get his answer, but they just turned around and settled on the grass, back against the post and eyes staring into the trees.

And then he got his answer anyway.

"You remember, way back, when we were fighting Sepulchure?" They asked.

He nodded. Those were strange and threatening times. He'd grown from a boy to a man then, figuratively if not physically.

"That was easy. We just had to get the orbs and stop him. And then Wargoth came, and he was pretty easy too, when we figured that we had to merge him and the Professor back together. But…."

"But…The Rose?"

"Yeah." They said. "The Rose. They're not easy at all. I don't really know what to do with them. I mean if you think about it they're the same kind of threat as Sepulchure or Wargoth were, a big bad evil guy at the top of a huge army trying to wreck the world. But, at the same time, they're way different. When I made a move against Sepulchure or Wargoth, I knew it hit them, and I knew it made a difference, no matter how small."

"…..But with The Rose, I don't know if I am making a difference. No matter what I do it feels like everything is the same as it was when I started, and any moves I make only amount to just me flailing around being useless."

They looked down, and Ash suddenly realized that they'd started crying. He put a hand on their shoulder and sat down next to them as the tears flowed.

"I'm sick of being useless, Ash." They said. "But I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

He didn't quite know what to say.

So he just sat there with them in silence.


	14. This one's on me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Hero/Cysero "This one's on me" something wacky happened to Falconreach. It wasn't Cysero's fault.

Hero stared at the ever changing patterns of static on the ground and tried to block out the annoying tune they kept hearing over and over. The sky couldn't seem to decide if if was morning or day or dusk or night, and kept rapidly switching between them. And weirdest of all, everyone kept saying the same thing whenever hero talked to them.

But no one seemed to notice something was wrong.

They'd gone around, asking people countless questions, acting as silly as they could in hopes of getting a reaction, even pants'd a few people, and no one had anything to say that might help, or even indicate there was something wrong in the first place. So they'd ended up just sitting on a barrel in front of the inn, watching the ground fizzle.

And then a whistle.

Hero looked up from their groundgazing and saw Cysero (presumably) staring out at the Guardian Tower, which was currently flickering.

"That's some pretty impressive glitching there. Hey," He said, turning back to Hero, "what did you do, surf along the coast or something?"

Hero shrugged. They were admittedly curious as to why Cysero didn't seem to be stuck saying the same thing over and over, but chalked that up to Cysero being Cysero.

"All I did was slay some monsters. Went for a dip in the bay, but that's about it. Falconreach was like this when I got back."

Cysero made a 'hmm'ing noise. "Well whatever it was, you turned this place into Glitch City. Don't think that's the right midi on loop, though."

"What?"

"Nevermind!" He cheerfully called back, heading up towards the Guardian Tower. "But come on, I know how to fix this. Follow me."

Hero blinked, and slid off their barrel to follow the mage.

They traveled up the spiraling pathway, walking at first and then jumping, at the insistence of Cysero, who claimed that the path had become infinite. Obviously it wasn't, since they managed to make it to the tower, though Hero did note that even ignoring the jumping, the walk up the path had taken far longer than it should have.

"Here we are!"

"The gryphon?"

Hero looked at the creature inquisitively. The gryphon didn't seem to be moving, like it was completely static, the wings outstretched and the tail hanging just so.

Cysero nodded. "Yep. The only way to leave the Glitch City is to fly out, and lucky you, you can! Don't worry about where you go, things'll be back to normal by the time you get back, promise."

"But…What happens until then? Will anyone remember this?"

"Uhhhhhh dunno. Tell you what, this one's on me. If anyone asks what happened, tell 'em I was working on something."

Hero nodded, and got on the gryphon. Time to fly.


	15. Childhood Friend AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Herogis, 2~

The air was cool, but not quite cool enough that it didn’t chill further in his presence.  By the emerging buds dotting the trees and patches of grass escaping the snowy ground, Aegis guessed the time of year to be around early spring.  Just finally staring to warm up from the previous winter, but not quite warm enough that one could really do anything outside except for maybe make one last snow angel.  Aegis smiled.  After so long away from the mortal plane, he was glad to have arrived at such a pleasant time of year.

The spirit glanced around at his surroundings.  Copses of trees as far as he could see in all directions; aspens by the look of them.  Wherever he’d appeared, clearly the air wasn’t just chilly in the spring; aspens only grow in places that are cool for most of the year.  Which, now that he thought about it, made placing the time of year he was in just a little bit harder.

Ah well.  Most of the world was forestland, so it wouldn’t be unlikely for him to run into someone at some point.  Aegis could ask his questions later.  For now, the spirit was content to explore.  He picked a direction at random and began gliding along the snow speckled earth.

* * *

He’d arrived in a village.  Colorfully dressed people ambled about, children darting through their legs and all around the streets.  Aegis had asked a woman sweeping her porch what the date was and found it to be April 2nd.  The woman looked at him curiously and asked if he were a winter sprite.  He told her she wasn’t very far off.

Occasionally people would stop and stare or ask him questions as he glided through the streets of the village.  They were curious about his appearance, both looks and visitation.  Was he the northern wind, a being from another plane, a messenger from one of the lords?  And why had he decided to grace their little town?  Aegis answered their questions as politely as he could, and the people’s expressions changed from confused to jubilant.  A visitor?  Why they loved visitors!  And especially one from so far away!

A few excited townsfolk took the spirit by the hand and lead him around town, or otherwise ran off to fetch something to offer the spirit; cakes, pies, souvenirs… Aegis had started off politely refusing these gifts, but their enthusiasm was infectious and he found himself sampling what was given to him and sending compliment after compliment to the various chefs.  He never knew there were so many ways one could bake a cherry pie.

By mid-evening Aegis knew the names of about half the people that had approached him in the street, and all the names of their children, though he wasn’t so lucky to know which name matched which face.  Some of the menfolk were organizing a celebration—brought on, no doubt, by the revelation that their visitor was a spirit of bravery and protection, and would surely provide them with good luck in the coming seasons—while the women headed home to cook and the children followed him around like so many goslings.

Aegis led a few of the children through the streets in a mishmash game of dodgeball and tag.  He would glide around throwing snowballs at the children as they darted past, any he landed hits on joining his team and throwing snowballs at their fellows until they were hit with another snowball from the children’s team.  No rules had been said, but somehow they all knew that whichever team managed to acquire all of the players would be the winner.

Aegis’s team had won by the end of it.  None of the children could hit him.

One by one their mothers called for them, and the children dispersed.  The spirit waved them goodbye until the celebration some hours later, and floated aimlessly through the village, soaking up the joyous atmosphere like a sponge.  A lone child still tottered after him, a bright little blue soul that couldn’t have been older than maybe three or four.  They seemed enamored with his pendant, white and glowing along as he glided, and since no parent had come rushing out to claim them he was content to let the child be.

They chirped a few questions to him every now and then.  Are you a ghost?  Yes, but a very friendly one.  How’d you die?  I’d rather not say.  Was it scary?  It was very scary.  How old are you?  Older than the trees around this village.  Do you like macaroni? Not very much, no.  Why?  I’ve never found a cheese sauce that I like with it.  My mom makes the best macaroni!  I’ll bet she does; will she be making some for the party?

The child’s eyes widened, and they scampered off to wherever their home was.  Aegis chuckled despite himself and looked around the village.  For the first time since he’d entered the village that day, the spirit found himself alone.  He didn’t mind the solitude so much.  The day had been very eventful, much more so than he’d expected.  The silence was welcome for however long it lasted until the celebration began.

That night would be one of the fondest he would recall for many years—but even still, his recollection would fade in time.

* * *

The air was cool, but not quite cool enough that it didn’t chill further in his presence.  His soulally was prancing about in newly emerging grass, relishing the flowers and trying their best to join in the birdsong.  Aegis watched them fondly, their bright little blue soul shining amidst the chilly spring countryside.  A snowball came hurtling towards him out of nowhere and Aegis scarcely had time to duck before it impacted.  A glance back at his soulally revealed a knowing grin, and a smile set itself into Aegis’s face.  He magicked up snowballs of his own and set forth firing them away at his partner.

For a brief moment, the memory came to Aegis of a small town and a little child that joined him in a snowball fight.  The memory was soon forgotten amidst the game, and was never brought up.


	16. Boss/Intern AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Heropulchure 49 please?

If you report the harassment, it will cost you your job.  
  
She kept those words circulating in her head like a protective mantra, her eyes shut tight and her face set in a deep scowl as he circled around her.

You need this job.

“Come now, must you always be so harsh?  Why not show me a smile for once, one of those little fake ones you see on baristas.”

He tilted her chin up with a finger.  She forced her face to relax and did as she was told, opening her eyes partway to seem coy.  His face was far too close to hers for her liking, but somehow she managed not to let that show through.

“Much better.  See how much a positive attitude can change things?”

God damn did she hate this job though.

He released her and turned sharply back to his desk.  She followed him without a word, clipboard in hand and pen tucked between her fingers like a blade.  Every day she hoped that things would get just bad enough to justify stabbing him with it, but her boss always seemed to know just when to let off so things wouldn’t get to that point.  She hated that so much about him.

“Now come on.  As much as I’d love for you to just stand there looking pretty, I am paying you to work.  I believe you have some reports for me to look over?”

She nodded, and cleared her throat before reciting the data held on the clipboards.

She tried to ignore how he looked at her as she did so.

She couldn’t lose her job.


	17. Return of the Boss/Intern AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: 49 Vaal/hero

“Flunky!”

Hero’s head turned to the direction of the call.  Their master was standing impatiently in front of his carved throne, staring down at them with glowing eyes.  “Yes, Boss?”

Vaal beckoned them closer with a finger.  “Come here,” he said, slouching back down on his throne.

They considered the command—he’d previously bidden them to sweep the stone steps leading up to his throne, which is what they were doing, and if he saw some flaw in their work he wouldn’t need to tell them directly about it.  They bounced up the steps in no time, and stooped down to bow low before their master, as was customary.  Vaal pardoned Hero with a handwave, and they resumed their standing post in front of his throne.

The Chaosweaver leaned forward.  He laced his hands together and observed his minion thoroughly; up and down and up and down, taking in as much of their frame as he possibly could with the limited view he had of them.  Hero stood wordlessly as he observed them.  After some time, Vaal seemed to have found what he was looking for, and nodded solemnly, as if confirming a previous suspicion.

“In my vast benevolence, I have decided to reward you for your service, flunky.”  He said.  “Finish clearing the pathway to my throne, then wash up.  I will be expecting you in my chambers when you’ve finished.”

Hero blinked.  “Boss?”

“There is no need to thank me flunky.  Know only that your ruler has decided to grace you with the knowledge of his embrace.  You are dismissed.”  He waved them off with a hand.

For a few moments Hero remained standing, but eventually obeyed.  The remainder of their time sweeping was spent wondering whether or not their master might actually call them by name later that night.


	18. Childhood Friend AU 2: Electric Boogaloo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it has come to my attention I forgot to post the most recent chapters here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Heropulchure 2

Her feet swung back and forth against the porch frame, a hand set firm on the wooden floor and another holding a quickly melting ice cream cone.  She’d just gotten her allowance earlier that day, and she wanted to get something cool to help fight the summer heat.  The fact that that something came in chocolate flavor was a plus as well.  Hero munched on the waffle cone in between long licks of ice cream as she watched the streets beyond her porch.

It was getting to be what her mama called “work traffic” and people were moving all around Swordhaven to head home, or get a bite to eat.  Of course, Hero didn’t see much of that rush from her porch in the residential district, but she did see some of her neighbors heading out into town.  She made sure to wave at them, but she didn’t get very many waves back.

The rest of her ice cream came and went, and after licking the remaining sugar from her fingers Hero decided to see what shapes she could make from the clouds.  A pony, a dragon, half of a balloon…. She’d caught sight of one that she couldn’t decide between King Dinkelheim’s beard or that purple thing she’d found in Mama’s drawers when a voice brought her back down to street level.

“Hey, kid; didn’t anybody ever tell you not to stare at the sun?”

Hero squealed and jumped down to the street.  “Hi Valen!  Did you just get back from training?”  She jumped into his outstretched hands and he swung her once around before placing her back on the grass.

“Yup,” the knight apprentice answered, “Sir Dar noticed that I’d sprained my wrist and sent me home early.  Well, “ he winced, “after he gave me a twenty minute lecture about taking care of myself better and not ignoring my wounds.”

“You sprained your wrist?  Then how come he sent you home instead of hand you a healing potion?  That’s what my teacher did when Green sprained his ankle,”  Hero asked, confused.  Valen paused for a moment and muttered something about multiple strikes and hard knocks.

The knight apprentice stretched and rolled out his shoulders.  He stuck a thumb out at his house, just three doors down from Hero’s.  “Well anyways, it was nice seeing you.  Tell your folks I said hi, okay?”

Hero nodded and waved him off.  She started up the steps to the porch—then stopped.  Something wasn’t right.

“Hey Valen!” she called, “How are you supposed to make yourself dinner if you’re not supposed to move your wrist?”

“I’ll figure something out!” he called back.

That… Hero chewed on her lower lip as Valen kept walking up to his front door.  Something about that didn’t settle right with her.  Apprentice knights are trained to handle anything that the world can throw at them so they can defend the king as best as they can, so in some part of her mind she knew he would probably be able to take care of himself pretty well.  But at the same time, she remembered back when Daddy got sick and Mama had to take care of him and cook for him and everything else he normally did himself.  Daddy was the toughest person Hero could think of.  And if he needed help, then…

“Um, actually, Valen!” she called out and ran down the steps, jogging over to meet the apprentice.  He turned halfway and looked at her curiously.  Hero rubbed her wrists together as she thought of what to say.  It was now or nothing.

“Do—do you. um, want to join us for dinner?  Mama said she was gonna make sloppy joes tonight, and she usually makes a lot, so we’re gonna have a lot of food leftover.”

“Is that right?” Valen asked.  He gave Hero a small smile and ruffled her hair.  “Well I’m not normally one for sloppy joes, but I’d hate to refuse such a kind offer.  I’d be happy to join you; if it’s all right with your parents that is.”

“Of course it is!  Mama said you always gotta help out your friends!”  Hero practically bounced in place at the exclamation.  Valen snickered.

“Well alright then.  Just let me get home and change out of my armor, I’ll be over in a bit.  See you then, little miss.”

Hero nodded.  “Alright!” she said, “It’s a date!”


	19. Pregnant After One Night Stand AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Heropulchure; 5???

She was so fucked.

It’d started with a bender that ended in her waking up in the Flying Fortress.  Pretty awkward on its own, but she’d woken up nude with bite marks all over her neck and shoulders.  Clearly, she’d gotten freaky with a major freak at some point.  But whatever, these things happen, might as well look for some enemy info before absconding the hell out of there.

She got her monthly buddy like three weeks later, and a quick trip to the doctor had her announced cootie free, so whatever, crisis averted, everything is gucci gucci.

Well except for the part where it actually wasn’t.  Turns out Aunt Flo can still come over for a visit even if you’ve got a bun in the oven.  Also turns out that she was allergic to anti-quickening potions.  So yeah.

Draco was so pissed when she told him he was gonna have a little sibling soon.

Doctor insisted on weekly check ups since adventurers get up to all kinds of magical and biochemical nonsense, there’s not way of telling who or what might affect the kid at any given day.  Around week three of check ups she finds out the kid is draining her life energy.  She learns two things: 1, kids apparently aren’t supposed to do that.  2, kid’s most likely undead.

Also she needs to find a mage that can infuse her with more life energy on a regular basis or the kid’s gonna drain her dry.

Fun.

So if the kid’s undead, the babydaddy’s undead, which means she probably screwed some shambling monstrosity on that bender.  Kind of a harsh blow to her pride, but at least that would explain the legion of bitemarks, about half of which were deep enough to scar.  Some of the local mages kept wanting to study her since you don’t get someone carrying zombiespawn just everyday, but a few fireballs from Draco managed to scare them off.  If she was gonna have to deal with some freaky ass pregnancy, she was gonna do it without a bunch of weirdos following her every move.

And damn if she didn’t do the thing.  Seven months practically cooped up in house arrest, watching movies and getting fat and having to deal with some other jerks fighting the forces of evil while she was puking her guts out.  Sure, no one would blame her if she were to go out and “accidentally” tank a blow to the stomach hard enough to off her little bundle of joy, but with as little life energy as she was running on these days her body probably wouldn’t be able to recover from the miscarriage.  And in the choice between motherhood and death she was only allowed so many coin tosses.

Contractions hurt like a bitch and no matter what her own mother had told her, literally nothing could’ve prepared her for the fact that she’d be spending four hours in a bed screaming and sweating like a pig.  Ash had offered to let her squeeze his hand during the whole process.  By the time the nurses were cleaning the kid off, the doctor was treating him for broken bones.

She heard the nurses and the doctors mumbling something about the kid and passed out.

Roughly half a day later she woke up, called the nurse and asked for a glass of water, pain pills, and thirty blueberry pancakes with butter and pecan syrup.

And also her kid, that’d be cool too.

The nurse came by with a screaming bundle in her arms like half an hour later and told her that she’d had a beautiful baby daughter in that exact kind of way people do when they really wanna say this kid is hellspawn and get it away from me.  She kinda had a weird look on her face too, but whatever, hellspawn or not the kid was still her kid and that made it at least halfway decent.

She undid the wrapping around the kid’s teeny tiny body and actually fell in love with the little button nose and the pale skin and the chubby cheeks and scrunchy eyes and the—

Her fucking daughter had red hair.

Red hair.

Red.

Hair.

She was so fucked.


	20. Literally Bumping into Each Other AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Platonic Cyshero and 24?

It was the first day of high school and of course Hero had to do the anime thing and run into someone on her way to school.  Her cat Draco had somehow undone the alarm on her clock, causing her to wake up a full forty-five minutes late, leaving her just barely enough time to shower and get dressed before she had to leave.  At least she didn’t have toast in her mouth—she didn’t have time to get any.  If she had, then her friends would never let her hear the end of it when she tried to explain why she was late that morning.

Hero rubbed the goose egg forming on her head with a grimace.  Whoever it was that ran into her, she would give them a piece of her mind!

“Hey!”, she shouted, “Why don’t you watch where you’re—”

Her eyes bulged out of their sockets.

Directly in front of her, sprawled out on the sidewalk, was a salaryman in a sharp pressed suit with a ratty green duffel bag around his arm.  He had on a goofy tie and colorful mismatched socks that were surely against company policy, but that wasn’t what had Hero so speechless.

This man had The Toast.  Not only that, but he seemed to have brought along the entire toaster.  Hero boggled at the appliance as it stubbornly refused to fall to the ground below, dangling along only by the piece of toast that the man held in his mouth.  What in the world?

The man opened his mouth and the toaster fell to the ground with a plasticky clang, breaking Hero’s trance.

“Whoopsidoodle!  Sorry bout that, guess I wasn’t looking where you were going.  But, hey!  If you did the toast thing that means you’re probably the main character, so good for you!”

Hero gawked.  “Wha….?”

The man picked up his toaster and stood up, patting dust off his suit with his other hand.  He held it out to her and Hero grabbed it, realizing she’d never gotten up.  Standing up, she noted how it was they’d run into each other; the man had his hair in his eyes.

“No harm done, huh?” the man said, “I just felt like running today, but you’re probably in a real hurry.  You heading to Celestia?”  He gestured at her clothes.  A white dress shirt, a pleated skirt, and a sweatervest with a shiny golden crest on the left side.  The girls uniform for Celestia Lake High.  She nodded.

The man stepped aside and pointed to one of the streets behind him.  “See that street?  Follow it until the first left turn, and cut through the kid’s park.  Should save you about five minutes on your way to class.”

He smiled softly when Hero realized just how much time this encounter had cost her, and patted her shoulder.  She gave a quick thank you and dashed off down the road, leaving him on the sidewalk waving goodbye.

He stayed that was for a good few minutes before turning and walking along the rest of his route.  There really was nothing like a brisk trip around the city subdivision before work to get the day started.  After a few minutes though, the man paused.

“Should I have told her that today was just the first day back for the teachers?”  he said.

“………….”

“Nah, I’ll tell her when I see her in homeroom tomorrow.”


	21. Did You Get My Letter?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “Did you get my letter?” serepulchure

“…Did you get my letter?”

Her voice was greatly at odds with her surroundings.  Bright and clear and with a genuine affection to whom she was speaking, utterly unsuited for stone walls and adamantine bars surrounding the maximum security cell Serenity was peering into.  The inhabitant of said cell made no attempt to reply to her question.  Not that she’d expected him to, to be honest.  She’d just needed something to fill the silence.

“It’s alright if you didn’t,” she continued. “Really it was just the usual report on how Gravelyn was doing.  She’s learning to talk at an astounding rate; maybe by the time I see you again she’ll be speaking in sentences!  That’d really be something, huh?”

Her hands clasped and a smile made its way to her face.  Serenity paused in her chatter to take a few mouthfuls of the tea she’d brought along for the meeting.  Her conversational partner on the other hand remained as he was, sitting on the wooden bunk hanging in his cell; arms crossed, shoulders back, head high.

Red eyes staring at her from the moment she’d come in to the moment she would leave.

Serenity paid him no mind.  She finished drinking her tea and wracked her brain for something to say.

“There are some people in the Locker trying to see if it’d be safe to live in the ruins of your old fortress.  Just a few, mind, and mostly mages that can pick up on any sort of energies that might be inside.  They’re also trying to document any changes to the natural wildlife in the bay.  Things seem to be pretty fine so far, but there’s no harm in being sure.  What else…?”  She trailed off.

“Some horned folk have started appearing in town at night, and people are starting to get a little concerned—”

“Why do you keep coming here,” a voice interjected.

She jolted back to attention, peering back at the man in the cell.  Shadows hung around his form.  Some were naturally occurring, formed by the lamplight bouncing off the walls of his cell.  Others were formed by his own dark magic.   His red eyes pierced through the shadow, digging into her skin.

“I’m sorry?” Serenity said, somewhat nervously.

The red eyes narrowed.  “Why do you keep up this nonsense?  Sending letters, making visits, prattling on about nothing to me as if I were a friend.  You’ve already taken my daughter from me, is that not enough that you must take my _time_ as well?”

She was taken aback by his words.  Why—?

“I just… Thought you could use some company, that’s all.  Aren’t you lonely at all in here?”

“No,” came the curt reply.  There was a harshness in made her squirm in her seat.  “And you and I both know that is not the only reason that you continue making these little visits.  Why not admit it outright instead of dancing around it with meaningless words?”

For a few moments, she was stricken silent.  She did have another reason for coming, true, but… The fact that he regarded her presence so bitterly stung.  Serenity found herself swirling her tea in lieu of an answer for a while, trying to find the right words to say.

She said, “I suppose then, that I thought you needed someone to show you what kindness is again.  That maybe there was still some good left in you.  Maybe you just needed a friend.”

“And this is what you truly believe?” he asked.

Hesitantly, she nodded.  He growled in response, turning away from her and heading deeper into his shadows until she could no longer see him.

“Then you are a _fool._ ”


	22. Waking Up With Amnesia AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: ok this is it but 18. waking up with amnesia au + WILD CARD MOTHERFUCLLER

You’re quite sure you have a name, but at the moment, you’re not entirely sure what it was.  The lady looking after you makes sure to remind you every time you forget—which is often—but she’s not exactly home right now, so until she gets back you’ll just have to go about your day without a name or a hint of any identity you might’ve had before your memory decided to go kaput.

You don’t really mind so much.  The lady looking after you gives you lots of work to do around the house, so you don’t have much time to dwell on things.

You’re thankful to her for this.

—–

Your first memory is waking up.  Your first memory is always waking up.  You know this for a fact, but what happens in between the times you wake up is a blur sometimes.

In one of the memories where you wake up, you are in a bed with your body in tatters, the lady looking after you sobbing grossly as she tries to put the pieces back together.  You don’t think she was aware you woke up, because she was talking to you in a way she never does when she knows you can hear her.

“I’m sorry”, she keeps saying, over and over again, “I’m sorry honey, I messed up, I’m sorry, please come back, please don’t leave me again—!”

Your memory of that event fades out soon after.  Sometimes when you’re not working and you have time to reflect on the memories you have, this memory makes you feel an ache in your chest.  Like you’ve forgotten something important.

You wouldn’t put it past yourself.  You always forget the important things.

—–

The lady that looks after you knows many people.  Sometimes they visit the house where the lady lives.  Sometimes, you’re free to roam the house as you usually do, or are called into the parlor to talk with the guest because they have a keen interest in your condition.

Usually, you’re told to go to your room, and not come out until the lady comes to find you.

You make sure to follow this rule.  You don’t remember any reason why you’re sent to your room, but you trust the lady looking after you.  She keeps you in good shape after all, and she always reminds you of your name when you forget it.

You’re thankful to her for this.

—– 

You finish your work around sunset, and the lady looking after you comes home not long after.  She asks you if you’ve completed your work, and you say that you have.  She says that is good, because the Necropolis only agreed to fund your upkeep if you were made into a warrior or a servant, and they’re not exactly keen on the idea of a servant that doesn’t do any work.

You say that you knew that, but you don’t mind being told again.

You say that you missed her.

You say also, perhaps a little sheepishly, that you’ve forgotten your name again, and would she mind telling you once more?

The lady laughs, causing all the small skulls on her robes to light up.

“Again?” she asks, “This is the third time in as many weeks!  Maybe you should write it down so you don’t forget as much.”

You say you’re sorry for forgetting so quickly, but the lady waves you off.  Undead aren’t exactly known for their great memory she says, and you didn’t exactly have a brain either.

You didn’t have much of anything really, which is why your repairs were so expensive and you needed the lady to look after you and make sure your current body didn’t dissolve into nothing like the last one did.

The lady tells you your name and ruffles your hair.  She asks if you want to hear about how her day went.  You nod rapidly, more eager to hear her talk than to hear what she has to say.

—– 

You forget what she tells you by the next time you wake up.

—– 

—– 

—– 

—– 

You don’t remember this, but one time someone had broken into the house you shared with the lady who looks after you.  It had been late in the evening, past when both you and the lady that looks after you would have gone to bed.

At the time, you expected to find some kind of bloodwolf, or someone from Amityvale who didn’t want the lady living in their town anymore, past heroics be damned.  You expected something monotonous that you could look at, deal with, and return to your room.

Instead you saw the lady looking after you wreathed in venom green fury, holding back a haggard looking woman with no less than three skeletal summons.

The woman was screaming.

“Hero!  Hero will you just put me down and listen for one second!  What you’re doing is wrong!  I miss him too, but—”

“But nothing,” the lady said harshly, motioning for the summons to bind the strange woman even tighter.  “How I choose to deal with my grief is my own business, and I expect you to respect that, Riadne.  Some friend you are.”

“This isn’t about friendship Hero, this is about you stealing what was left of Tomix’s soulthreads and stuffing them into some patchwork monster!”

The lady’s eyes lit up like a star of rage and you saw an explosion of venom colored magic.

The next day when you woke up, you were tasked with cleaning out a series of stains from the parlor.

—– 

—– 

—– 

—– 

You’re quite sure you have a name, but at the moment, you’re not entirely sure what it was.  You tell the lady who looks after you to remind you since you’ve forgotten again.  She tells you with a laugh, and kisses you on the cheek.

You’re thankful to her for this.


	23. I’m the scariest thing hiding here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: 8. I’m the scariest thing hiding here. df hero x galanoth please?

“Well this is…. Quite the predicament we seem to have gotten ourselves in.”

“I told you I didn’t need your help, Hero, I could’ve taken those dravir no problem.”

“There were fifteen of them and all you had was a dagger, no you could not have taken them.”

“Yes, I could have, I’ve killed plenty of full grown dragons with just my dagger, a few dravir would be n—”

_“Shhh! Would you quiet down, we are trying to hide here!!”_

_“…….”  
_

“Okay, I don’t hear anything.  Gal seriously, what the heck??  Did you forget we were trying to hide???”

“Oh like that really matters, I’m the scariest thing hiding here, not any mamby pamby dravir.”

“Yes but you’re unarmed and I’m out of healing potions, so I would like to avoid any confrontation if I can, now _shut up!_ ”


	24. Roommate AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Heropulchure roommate au. Very begrudging roommates.

You opened the door wide, a scowl evident on your face even before the smell of blood and lye hit you. You rapped your knuckles loudly against the door.

“Hey. It’s your turn to wash the dishes, jerkface.”

Your roommate was busy scrubbing what was obviously blood off of the combination bathtub and shower, the source of the room’s smell. You’re entirely certain that there was a body in said shower not too long ago, but you’ve never been able to find one. Not that you really care. The bastard keeps the house clean and always pays rent on time, so you’re willing to let his obvious serial killing slide.

He pauses in his scrubbing and glares at you.

“I’m kind of busy,” he says.

“Yeah well, except unlike you, mister stay-at-home-dad, I actually just got back from work, and I picked your daughter up from preschool, so you can go ahead and do the dishes.”

“Go to hell.”

“Jokes on you motherfucker, I’ve been in hell ever since I signed the lease.”


	25. Modern Fantasy AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt: platonic walric/cysero modern fantasy AU?

You pressed the video call button and let it ring.  No response.  Call ended.  You press it again and let it ring.  You do this about maybe for our five times before the call finally picks up.

You clear your throat out in preparation for what you’re going to say.

The call drops and instead you scream, alerting several of the other people—your neighbors, who you will probably never be able to speak to again—that had gathered next to you to witness a mountain of bubbling slime devour your townhouse.

He calls you back within moments and you punch the accept call button as forcefully as you can without actually harming your phone.

“Hey Warlic!”, your roommate’s voice calls from the phone.  It’s behind a mirrored image of your own face scowling at the screen, and you put the phone to your ear realizing he’d pressed voice call rather than video call.

“Sorry for dropping the ca—”

You interrupt him.

“Cysero,” you say tersely, “Switch to video call.  Now.”

You hold out the phone in front of you, switching the cameras on skype so that the screen is filled with a view of your slimed home.

“I want you to take a good long look.  And tell me what is wrong with this picture.”

You hear nothing from the phone.  Then—

“I mean I can’t tell from how grainy the image quality is, but it looks like Miss Hampton’s begonias turned into some kind of venus flytrap.”

“That is a bit of a concern, but I mean the fact that our house is enveloped in goo.”

“Why, is it eating people?”

“No, but Miss Hampton’s begonias might.  I’m assuming this is your fault, so please come over and fix it.”

“Okie doke, just let me finish catching this bulbasaur real quick.”

“Now, Cysero—!”

Your phone clicked as the call abruptly ended.

One of your neighbors to the right shyly asked if you were going to scream again.


	26. Ghost/Living Person AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompt: ghost/living person au w/ ,,, uh ,,, //sweats hero/artix idk

To say you were nervous would be an understatement.  After all, who wouldn’t be nervous when they approach their crush for the first time?

He walked briskly through the blackened trees of Doomwood, his gold and silver armor shining in the moonlight, the picture of pure romance.  His tussled brown hair, his soft chestnut eyes, his tanned skin—such a rarity in the never ending night of Doomwood!  He struck you like a bolt of lightning from the moment you laid eyes upon him, and you knew in your heart he had to be yours.

As he moved forward, you darted in between the trees after him, silent as a ghost in the night. (partly because you  _were_  a ghost in the night)  You made not a sound as you trailed after your shining knight, not a word or a groan or even a measly boo!  It wouldn’t do to alert him to your presence so soon, so far from the perfect moment.

But oh, how your incorporeal heart fluttered so when you saw him!

You trailed after him dutifully, watching like a hawk for the perfect moment to reveal yourself and declare your love for him, how you’d watched and pined after him ever since you stumbled across him in the graveyard those three nights ago!

Soon, you swore to yourself.  The perfect moment will come soon.

* * *

For the past few days, Artix could not shake the feeling that he was being followed.  Which, to be honest, was not at all an uncommon feeling in Doomwood, and was often a scarily accurate feeling, but for Artix it was a bit unusual.  He had been able to ignore it for a while, but in the past few days the feeling had become particularly strong.

If the paladin was being honest with himself, it was actually a little unnerving.

Had he gotten himself cursed again?

Something in the atmosphere changed suddenly, some pressure or feeling, and Artix turned quick on his heel, ax ready to strike in case of—

The most beautiful woman Artix had ever seen stood glowing in the moonlight before him.  Her hair was all in curls around her heart-shaped face, her pose demure, her long dress flowing gently behind her despite the fact that there was no wind.  Artix could see the the stark black of trees in the distance faintly through her.

“ _My brave sir,_ ” the obviously ghostly woman began, clutching her fingers together like a prayer, ” _Though I have been watching you for some time, I cannot hold myself back any longer.  My name is—_ ”

Artix dashed forward with cry, his ax already in mid swing.

The specter before him didn’t stand a chance.


End file.
